Howling at the Moon: The World Eater
by Nanicane
Summary: Sequel to Howling at the Moon: Companion's Champion. Skyrim's descent into chaos has only just begun, the weight of the world rests on the shoulders of Selyna, the Dragonborn. With her personal life falling out of balance, can she find the will and the time to try and piece it back together? With Alduin threatening the crumbling peace in Skyrim she may have no choice.
1. Coming Back

Seven long months of avoidance, seven long months of trying to stay away from Jorrvaskr...away from Farkas. Selyna stood with Wuuthrad's staff sitting on top of her shoulder with the massive blades behind her head, her eyes scanning the area around her from behind her mask. In the time she spent away from Jorrvaskr, she had tracked down two Dragon Priests and spent time reading old legends and tales about the Dragonborn and the fate that accompanied the Dragonborn. Alduin was the sworn enemy of the Dragonborn and she was the only person on Nirn who could truly kill him. In her mind, duty came before all, even a personal life which left her unsure about what to really do where Farkas was concerned. She hadn't completely understood why women had to wear amulets of Mara to show that they were ready to settle down and because of the amulet she was forced to avoid Farkas like he carried a disease until she could decide what answer she could give him.

"Are we to stare at the horizon all day?" Selyna looked back at Jenassa, a dunmer woman like herself who she had come to realize over the five months was far more than capable of handling herself.

Jenassa also had a sharp tongue when it was needed but the woman wasn't prideful which Selyna liked.

"No, I was deciding where we should go next." Crossing a arm under her breast, she turned and looked at the woman standing behind her.

Sighing, Selyna pulled the map of Skyrim out of her pack and scanned it quickly. The plot of land she had built near Riverrun had a stain of blood on it, she had finished the foundation and began with the support beams with the help of Jenassa and Faendal helping. Smiling, she thought of Faendal and his now pregnant wife Camilla. It made her wonder about her own future, she wasn't so young that she didn't understand what was to happen between a man and a woman but the defeat of Alduin came before those thoughts.

"I think I we shall go and help build more of the house then head back to Whiterun. I have items that need to be sold for coin and I should check on Lydia. Poor woman must be itching for a fight." Selyna had left Lydia in the house she had bought in Whiterun, it was a modest sum and Selyna needed a place that was safe and secure to keep items she would hide from prying eyes.

Turning to Jenassa, she studied the woman. Remembering statements and comments she had heard from the sharp tongued older Dunmer woman. Jenassa's orange facial tattoos were bright in the light, it drew attention to her red eyes and thin lips. It amazed Selyna that she was not married, she was pleasing to the eyes but she assumed her sharp tongue was what frightened men away.

"You should like of marrying and settling down, I'm sure one of the brothers in the Drunken Huntsmen would be more than happy to have you." Selyna told the other woman as she began to walk towards the Western Watchtower.

Selyna strapped Wuuthrad to her back, the weight no longer weighing her down as it would when she first took the weapon into her hands. The seven months had given her time to hone her body far more than she would have back at home.

"I'll start looking for a man when you do." Jenassa quipped with a smirk on her face but Selyna fired right back,

"I will hold you to your promise Jenassa."

The smells assaulted Selyna's nostrils first and she couldn't help but breath deep, missing the familiar smells of the market place making her smile. She had left Jenassa back at the Drunken Huntsmen for the time being while she shopped and went to check on the status of Jorrvakr. As she ascended the stairs to the next level of Whiterun she saw that the Gildergreen was blossoming, this made her smile because it was from her help that Danica Pure-Spring was able to restore the tree to it's healthy state. Continuing onward, she climbed the stairs of Jorrvaskr with a heavy heart. Selyna rubbed her right shoulder absentmindedly, it had been too long since she had seen the wooden building and a part of her wasn't so sure she should even be back at Jorrvaskr since she had practically ran off after Farkas asked her to marry him.

"Selyna?" The voice wasn't soft, it sent shivers down her spine because she knew whose voice it was.

Turning, she turned and saw the one person she had been dreading seeing. Farkas. He stood, his eyes focused on her and she could see the hurt within his eyes, the confusion. It hurt to see him in such as state and Selyna was sure that he saw her pain.

"Hello." Was all she could muster out before she turned and proceeded back up the stairs to Jorrvaskr but was stopped by the large wall of a man whom she had just spoken to.

"Selyna." His voice was demanding, he wanted an explanation for her running away and refusing to come back and she knew it.

"I have business to attend to. I have been away from Jorrvaskr for too long." Selyna tried to make her voice as emotionless as possible, she needed to be indifferent about this particular person business.

Farkas shook his head at her, "No. We will settle this now Selyna." He was unmoving despite that she was far from deciding about their unspoken relationship, sighing, she spoke,

"Farkas. I don't know what answer to give you now. I have a duty to defeat Alduin and save this country from itself." Selyna's voice was low and hushed as she spoke to him, her red eyes looking up into his.

All of the explanations she could give would not be enough for this man and Selyna didn't want to drive him away because in all truths, she loved Farkas and she couldn't give him up as much as she would like to.

"Farkas, I have a duty to uphold not only to Jorrvaskr or to Skyrim but to my kin. Dark elves and Nords do not-"

"Don't say it." Farkas growled and inched closer to her but Selyna would not back down, she was not some young girl any more.

"I will say it. Dark elves and Nords do not marry. I am mer you are man. This, we must both accept." Selyna hung her head a little after she spoke.

It hurt her to say such words to him but now was not the time to be worried about men. Farkas growled low as he grabbed her hard, pulling her into Jorrvaskr, ignoring everyone as he did so despite Selyna's protests. He only stopped once they were in the Harbinger's room, slamming the doors behind the both of them and then forcing her against the wall. His lips hard on hers as she gasped, Farkas' hands lifted her up and Selyna wrapped her legs around his hips as her hands dove into his hair. Their connection was like lightning running rampant through them both and she didn't want to deny him then despite their differences.

"Farkas...Farkas please." Selyna's voice was full of want as she spoke softly to him.

"How can you deny me?" He growled to her before his lips moved to her neck, leaving her gasping in pleasure.

"I can't Farkas. I can't but I need to. I'm the Dragonborn." Farkas knew well enough what she was but he did not care,

"If you tell me to wait, I will." His voice low and husky whispered into her ear as his hands roamed upwards, over her sides and onto her breasts.

Gasping low, she focused her eyes on him as his lips came up and claimed hers. Selyna wanted him to wait for her so badly because she wanted him more than she had she had ever wanted anything in her life.

"Will you wait for me? I need you to wait Farkas." Alduin came first on her list, the dragon had to be taken care of before she could ever really feel safe to settle down and start a family. Not that it would be easy to start a family, he was Nord and she was Dunmer.

Farkas pressed his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled, taking in the scent that was uniquely her. The power, the smell of another creature prowling under her skin made him shiver in delight. It was almost as if he could feel the dragon reaching out to his senses.

"I would." Selyna let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and it was like a burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

"I want to be your wife Farkas. I do." Selyna rested her head on his shoulder and sighed as he slowly let her down so that she stood on her own two feet.

"But?" He added,

"But Alduin has to be destroyed first."


	2. Making Amends

Selyna pushed open the door to the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood, her mood close enough to be considered foul despite that Riverwood was a place she loved. Her mood was sour because she had to meet Delphine, one of the last members of the Blades, resided in the hidden room in the Sleeping Giant Inn. Renting the the room to the right of where she stood at the counter and closed the door once Delphine walked inside. Watching the woman closely for any signs of deception, Delphine opened the secret door to her basement hideaway and proceeded down the stairs. Selyna was reluctant to follow but she had questions that needed answering and Delphine was the only one who could answer them and so, she followed.

"Do you remember what I told you about the Blades?" Delphine asked as she rounded the table with the map of dragon burial mounds nailed to it.

"Yes. I may not look like a scholar but I have read much on the history of not only my people but others as well. The Blades protected Emperor Uriel Septim, the seventh of his name." Selyna folded her arms under her breasts.

"Good. I don't think you were followed-"

"I know I wasn't." Thanks to Farkas and his nose.

"I have a plan." Delphine told her with a smile as she straightened and moved to the front of the table.

"I am listening." Selyna watched as Delphine moved to the front of the table and she leaned against it.

"I believe the Thalmor are to blame for the dragons returning, how could they return on their own otherwise? The Thalmor must have a hand in it. So, I devised a plan and I now know of a way to get you the information." Moving once more, Delphine went and sat in the corner of the room then looked up at Selyna when the Dunmer woman turned to her.

"I do not think it is wise." Selyna told Delphine with a frown,

"It is no secret that the country knows who I am-"

"But the Thalmor care little of the Nords stories or legends. They expect the Dragonborn to be a Nord not a Dunmer." Delphine interjected quickly and Selyna nodded in agreement,

"You will get into the Thalmor Embassy. Elenwen, the head of the Thalmor Embassy, throws regular parties for the wealthy. I have a contact, Malborn, a wood elf with plenty of reason to hate the Thalmor. He...isn't cut for quests like this but he will help you. At the part you can sneak into Elenwen's room and find secret files or papers. All I have to do is get an invitation for you and you must meet him at the Winking Skeever in Solitude." Delphine leaned back on the chair a little and waited for an answer.

"I've been there once or twice, the city I mean. I will find my way to the Winking Skeever and meet this contact. I hope he is as trustworthy as you say." Selyna was unsure of this plan but if it would help her in the end then she had no choice.

"Malborn's family was in Valenwood when the Thalmor did one of their secret purges. If they knew who he was they he wouldn't be serving drinks at the parties." Delphine smirked.

Selyna sighed and nodded at Delphine before turning her back to the woman for a few moments, thinking on what had been said and what she knew now.

"Do you believe Delphine?" Selyna asked in a low voice then turned to the other woman.

"Do I believe...? Do I believe you are the Dragonborn? Yes. I watched with my own eyes the Dragon's soul enter your body. How could I not?" Delphine tilted her head to the side only just and her look softened towards the other woman.

"Do you not believe in yourself?" Selyna gasped softly and looked over at Delphine.

The question hit her harder than she had expected it to. At the end of it all...did she believe in herself? Her strength was not an issue for her, Selyna knew when enough was enough for her but...what if things had changed since she absorbed Mirmulnir's power, his soul? She was not so sure now where her limits may lie. The subtle changes she may not have given a second thought now came creeping back to her, her body had changed since Mirmulnir whether she wanted to believe it or not.

"I am not so sure anymore, but I think I can try and learn anew."

Selyna groaned as she pulled the armor off of her body, it clung to her because of the sweat and blood on the inside. On her way back to Whiterun from Riverrun she had the misfortune of running into bandits, not that four at once was a daunting task anymore but one well placed hit to her ribs with a ax and she had blood running down her body. Peeling the armor off, she looked down at her bruised ribs and saw the cut. It wasn't too deep but it was deep enough to cause bleeding, a knocking on her front door brought her out of her examination. So, she threw on a blue mage's robe and went downstairs. Opening her door, she smiled and allowed her visitor in.

"You reek of blood." The rasping voice was Farkas's and he looked less than pleased at the smell of blood.

Closing the door, she rolled her eyes at him before going back up into her room. Selyna removed the robe and went back to examining her wound. Lighting her hand up in a healing spell, she moved it over her wound slowly so that it healed proper.

"Bandits decided to pay me a visit on my way back to Whiterun." Selyna said once she heard foot steps coming close to her doorway.

"That could have been worse." Farkas growled.

Selyna looked up at him, her red eyes glaring at him for a few moments before returning to the task of healing.

"When they are spread out then I have no problems fighting two to three at a time." Sighing, she continued,

"I should speak to the Jarl about Helgen, it has been overrun with bandits since it was destroyed. The ruins hold may hiding places for bandits now." Helgen had been so lively and fortified well enough before Alduin had attacked the town.

"That is very noble of you." Farkas smirked, he then moved to her bed to sit upon it and watch her heal herself.

"Helgen deserves to be rebuilt and I will see to it that it prospers once more." Selyna had felt guilty for the towns destruction since Alduin had his eyes set on her and destroyed the town in the process to be rid of her, it made her wonder...why?

"I am sure the Jarl would be glad to help the rebuilding of Helgen but not while there are dragons to tear it back down once more." Farkas pulled his boots off and set them next to him, Selyna was due for a bath and he wanted to join in with her.

"Alduin weighs heavily on my mind. This...Delphine told me that she believes the Thalmor are to blame for the dragons returning." Selyna looked at him in a way that told him if he spoke to anyone about what she was saying that she might kill him.

"The Thalmor?" Farkas wrinkled his brow as he thought, he was not so good with thinking but he could only wonder why this woman thought the Thalmor were to blame.

Rubbing her forehead for a few moments, she shook herself of the thought and removed the bottom to her armor and set it with the top on top of her chest across from the bottom of her bed. Farkas licked his lips as he watched her but she paid him no mind since her mind seemed elsewhere.

"The book..." She said before standing up straight and looking confused for a moment.

Selyna remembered a book she had picked up when she was escaping Helgen, ever the scholar, she hadn't seen it before and had kept it for reading later but she was so busy she had never read it before. The Greybeards did not give it to her to read either. Bolting like a deer after seeing it's hunter, she tore apart her bookshelf downstairs to find the book. Farkas followed slowly after her and found her sitting on the floor, going through her books but only looking at the cover. Until she stopped, a worn black book sat in her hand with the Imperial symbol on it's cover. Opening the book, she scanned it quickly then closed it, looking up at Farkas from her seated position.

"This book, it is called 'The Book of the Dragonborn'." Selyna stood him as she held her hand out, he helped her up and she went back upstairs while Farkas grabbed her tub from the back room.

By the time she came back down, the tub was filled with hot water and Farkas was wearing nothing but a scrap of cloth covering the front and back of the space between his hips. Smiling shyly, she blushed and moved closer to him.

"I said you reeked of blood." Farkas japed playfully as his hands reached out to her.

The book was not in her hand, he assumed she must have put it in her bedroom so she was free to touch him as she pleased. Her hands went to his chest and he let out a low growl as her hands moved up his chest to hook around the back of his neck as his head moved to allow his lips purchase on Selyna's neck. Once there his lips and tongue tasted her blue skin, enjoying the taste of her and the feel of her skin beneath his finger tips. His nails shredded the back of her breast band and he pulled a part the scrap of cloth about her waist,

"Farkas, you are going to replace those." Selyna moaned as his hand dipped in between her thighs and her hands held onto him as he slowly began to stroke her.

Soft moans escaped her lips as Farkas stroked her between her thighs as he moved her to the tub, setting her inside of it before getting in himself. He did not touch her then as she slowly floated back down to Nirn and began to scrub her body with a scrap of linen cloth. Farkas watched her scrub, enjoying the sight of the water running over her naked body, Selyna was moving over her body slowly with the scrap of cloth. Her red eyes watched his white ones as she scrubbed her body slowly, taking time to enjoy the torture she was inflicting upon him. Farkas was content with growling low in his throat as he watched Selyna tease him, the smell of her encompassed him like a warm fur on a cold night. Once she was finished, she stepped out of the tub and moved towards the fire to warm her body and dry it free of water. Farkas scrubbed himself quick before hopping out of the tub and moving towards where Selyna stood, warming and drying herself.

"I will not be in this house for much longer." She told him in a gentle voice, arching a brow at her statement, he moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her in an affectionate way.

"I've seen the house you have been building by Riverrun, it is a beautiful home." Selyna felt a rumble in his chest form and a smile spread on her lips.

"You will have to show me." His lips moved to kiss the tips of her ears, feeling her shutter in his arms as he did so, it was one of her weak spots he had recently found.

"I will, after I stop in Winterhold I will come back and meet you here." Selyna moaned a little as he hummed while his lips moved to the side of her neck.

Selyna had joined the College of Winterhold not too long ago, she had wanted to expand her knowledge and the college was more than willing to take on pupils with the desire to learn plus the fame of the Dragonborn had brought others to the college to follow their dreams of pursuing magic instead of hiding in the shadows. Farkas sorely wanted to come with her but there had been a few new recruits in Jorrvaskr (thanks in part to Selyna's fame once more) and so he was not short on errands or training sessions now. With the help of his twin brother, Vilkas, they had been running Jorrvaskr well when Selyna was not around but since she had been frequent as of late the recruits had their morale boosted. Just two days past she had been training the recruits, helping them so that they could learn properly. Aela was the only one who was not overly fond of helping with training, preferring to be alone despite that Selyna has asked everyone to help when it came to recruits and recruiting.

"Why build a house? You have one here." Farkas asked as his lips moved to her shoulder,

"Because we are going to run out of room at Jorrvaskr soon, we have only four beds left to fill and I expect that they will be filled soon enough. Once Jorrvaskr has been filled, this house will be given used to house whomever wishes to live here. Two bed can be put in the back room and three beds for upstairs, that is five more beds we can fill after we add a bed to each of the rooms. I've commissioned for the table to be lengthened in Jorrvaskr to accommodate our ever growing recruits. Torvar has asked that him, Athis, Njada and Ria all be put in the house so that the recruits can stay in Jorrvaskr." Selyna shivered a little as Farkas slowly let go of her.

He joined her in going back upstairs,

"What has Vilkas said of this?" Farkas asked as he sat on her bed, looking mighty comfortable.

"He tells me that it is a smart decision. Njada and Athis are bound to end up bedding but Ria should stay up at Jorrvaskr for now, of the few women recruits we have, they enjoy her company and look to her for guidance. I have had a thought of putting her in charge of the newest recruits." Selyna pulled on a shirt from her dresser but did not clothe herself in more than the shirt.

"Ria has a gentle heart and a strong sword arm. It is good they look to her for guidance." Farkas relaxed on her bed, his head on a pillow with his hands propping his head up to see her better as she tidied her room.

"I have asked Brill to pick up where the logs left off after Kodlak passed. The lad is smart and has a sense of what logs should do. Vignar will read over them nightly along with the missives that give us our jobs to make sure everything it correct. It surprised me how good that man is with gold. He helped me find whatever money Kodlak had saved up and with that money we were able to hire wood laborers to make some well needed repairs to Jorrvaskr and it's walls." Farkas's gave Selyna a surprised look.

"The old man had been saving up gold?" Farkas wondered why Kodlak had been saving gold.

"Oh yes, he had a good stash of it. Almost three thousand gold." Farkas could not have looked more surprised,

"Kodlak had the right of it. Saving a little bit of money from each job the Companions get and we can afford to extend the living quarts a bit more and possibly get better equipment for the recruits who stay longer than six months." Selyna had finished tidying her room and so she moved to the bed, sliding onto it and laying down before pulling a fur over her body before turning on her side to look at him.

"Aela is the only one who seems to be having any problems with what I am doing. She does not want to train with the recruits nor does she want to discuss anything with me...Has she spoken to you?" Selyna wanted answers and Aela was the only one who could give them to her,

"No. I believe she thinks Vilkas and I as traitors for removing the beast blood from our veins. She is the only one left of us that still has the beast blood." Farkas sighed and turned over to look at her.

"I will have to talk to her or have someone talk to her, just to get through to her." Selyna rubbed her head in agitation, Aela was a great fighter, a good woman and a better friend.

Aela had helped Selyna and in return she had helped Aela, she helped the woman grieve for Skjor after his death, it was hard for her to see Aela in such a state.

"I'll have to speak to her but not tonight. Tonight, I have something else in mind." Selyna smirked as she slowly moved to straddle Farkas.

Morning came with groans and moans from the master bedroom in Breezehome, Selyna was the first out of bed to make food so that both Farkas and herself could start their day before leaving for Jorrvaskr. Venison, chicken eggs and a loaf of bread were out on the table, fresh and smelling wonderful when Farkas finally came down, dressed in his wolf armor. A smile upon his lips as he sat down at her table and looked at the food, waiting for her to give him a sign that he could eat. Selyna came over with a plate for him and a plate for her, he took the plate and the fork when she gave it to him.

"I'll get my share first then you can have the rest." Selyna cut a thick slice of the venison, put a helping of eggs on her plate then used the bread to scoop it up at eat it.

Farkas finished off what remained of the food after Selyna had her share and moved to relax in a chair by the fire as he watched his Dark Elf woman clean up after the both of them. He licked his lips as he watched her hips move, reminiscing about the way they had moved against him the night before. Feeling his eyes upon her, Selyna turned around and cocked a dark brow at him,

"I am admiring your stride." He told her but she gave him a knowing look with a bit of a smirk.

"After I speak with Aela this morn, I will be heading out to Winterhold. I trust that Vilkas and yourself will be fine to watch over Jorrvaskr? I need the three of the younger recruits that we have to be trained with the short sword, the woman seemed lacking with a short sword when I trained her last. I am hopeful that she will find strength with the short sword." Selyna dusted her hands off and came to kneel before Farkas with a soft smile upon her lips as her hands laid on his knee. Putting her chin upon her hands, she looked to be in thought for a few moments before she tilted her head to look up at him.

"If I asked, would you meet me in Riften?"


	3. Getting Ready for a Party?

The snow was falling fast and hard when Selyna finally arrived in Winterhold, the Frozen Hearth was the first stop she made. The weather was only going to become worse and so she needed to stay the night at the Inn and pray that the weather let up in the morn. It was a surprise to her when she walked in and there were quite a few travelers in the Inn. Walking up to the counter, giving a look towards the influx of patrons then to Dagur.

"Seems a little busy Dagur..." Selyna leaned on the counter as the man wiped off a small section of the counter before grabbing a mug and filing it with ale.

"Aye, I was quite surprised by it myself but it seems that a few of them are hunters while the others are here to help with the house across the way." Dagur sat the mug in front of Selyna, taking it graciously, her lips met the rim and took a swig.

"They are going to repair the house?" Selyna had always looked sadly at the house when she came into the town but it was good to hear that it was finally going to be rebuilt.

"There's even talk of extending the town out to try and get more people to come to the town." Nodding to Dagur, her eyes went to the weathered men sitting all by themselves, exhaustion written all over their faces and their bodies.

"I supposed then you are out of rooms?" Her eyes came back to Dagur and he nodded to her,

"That's fine then. I just need a quick change into my mage robes and I'll be out of here." She did not really want to leave with the snow falling from the sky as it was.

"The room to your right. I'm sorry I can't take your coin tonight. I know how the snow falls outside and normally I wouldn't turn you down, you know that." Dagur grinned at her as she grinned at him.

"Thank you Dagur. I hope to be back in one of your beds soon enough." She chuckled as she went into the room he motioned to her.

Putting her pack down, she pulled out her mage robes and quickly removed her armor. The armor peeled off of her body easily enough, but she took her time putting her robes on, letting the magic slowly moved over her skin, puckering it. Shivering lightly as she felt the magic wash over her body thanks to the magic imparted within the fabric, threading and dye. Shivering, she tied the robe so it would not fall off and slipped on the pants to the robe, feeling the same magic tingle over the flesh of her legs and hips. Stuffing her armor in her pack, she came out of the side room and thanked Dagur for letting her use the room to change in. Pulling the hood up to the robe, she left the inn and made her way up to the college of Winterhold. It was an imposing structure, seemingly cold just like the snow that fell about it in a flurry. Seeing J'zargo in the courtyard walking to the Hall of Elements,

"J'zargo!" She hailed, the Khajiit turned and looked at her with a smile,

"J'zargo is happy to see his friend again. She has been gone for quite some time, yes?" Selyna caught up to her tall Khajiit friend and smiled at him happily.

"It has only been two months J'zargo, you know I have other matters I must attend to." J'zargo was the only one within the college who knew who she was.

Selyna embraced J'zargo, he purred affectionately to her as they embraced. The Dragonborn had come to find out that J'zargo loved to have his ego boosted, he was confident in his abilities and loved to hear others admit that he was better than a person. Letting go of him, she walked with him into the Hall of Elements where here eyes went to the glowing orb in the hall. It had been discovered by Tolfdir and herself in Saarthal, she had been sent to collect books on the subject of the Staff of Magnus, believing that it would unlock the orb's powers. Selyna may be a warrior but she was a scholar when she needed to be, knowledge held its own power and she was not one to waste any power.

"J'zargo has experiments to do. Perhaps he will see his friend in the evening?" J'zargo gave her a toothy grin and she pushed his arm lightly.

"Keep trying you sly cat, maybe one day someone will." Selyna laughed then waved farewell to her friend then took the stone stairs to the Arcanaeum where she watched Urag gro-Shub flip absent-mindedly through a book he held.

"I have brought the books you asked for and more." Selyna knew how to entice this old orc, he loved his books more than he could ever love a woman.

Watching Urag gro-Shub lift his head up and look up at her with a glint of curiosity in his eyes, he waited for her to come to the large wooden desk he sat behind before she dug through her pack and hefted quite a bounty of books onto the desk in front of her. He was a grumpy old orc but Selyna was sure that her adventures into Nordic ruins made him happy beyond measure since she brought back all kinds of old journals and books for him to rewrite or preserve. The orc stood up and moved his hands over the pile of books she brought him, scooping them up, he placed the pile on a shelf under his desk.

"I'll look through them, come back in a day or two." Urag gr-Shub moved his attention from Selyna to behind her, she dared to look behind her and saw a wood elf slowly making her way into the Arcanaeum.

To Selyna, this little wood elf looked like a beautiful little flower and noticing the way Urag was looking at this little flower gave the will to act.

"She's a beautiful little creature." Selyna cooed,

"Keep your hands off Dragonborn." Urag warned but Selyna didn't listen.

Moving towards the Bosmer, Selyna made her presence known. The girl startled and apologized as she dropped the book she was holding.

"I'm Selyna." Holding out her hand, the girl took it and shook it nervously.

"I know. I am Silfina. It is so good to finally meet you Dragonborn!" Silfina exclaimed in a hushed tone as her eyes slid to Urag, knowing he liked his silence.

"Now don't go telling the whole college." Selyna chuckled and Silfina blushed,

"Sorry."

"Don't be. You seem a bit young to be in Skyrim, what brought you to this cold place?" The girl looked no older than ten and six.

"I am ten and eight Dragonborn, a woman grown." Smiling up at Selyna, she moved to put her book away that she had brought back.

"An impressive collection of books, don't you think?" Selyna whispered and received a nod,

"Sometimes I have trouble finding what I need, it's so hard to keep track of everything. Reaching the top books is the worst, I almost knocked several shelves down last week." Silfina was new then, not yet acquainted with the College and all of its secrets.

"Don't fear asking Urag gro-Shub for help. These books are his world." Selyna chanced a look back at Urag and saw that the orc looked ready to jump the desk and strangle her.

"Really? I've always loved books. I can't help but feel that every book is a gateway into another." Selyna couldn't help but smirk when Urag's face went from pure fury to a soft, stern look when he heard Silfina talk.

Turning to look at Silfina, she saw the girl running her hand over a book she held in her arms.

"Don't be afraid of Urag gro-Shub unless you harm one of these books. Otherwise he is a very helpful teacher. Now, if you'll excuse me I have some things to attend to. It was good meeting you Silfina, I hope we can speak again sometime when I am not as busy." Selyna left the Arcanaeum with Silfina looking shyly at Urag from behind the book she held.

Wiping blood from Wuuthrad, Selyna looked down at the broken bodies of the vampires she had just killed. They had come after her not too far from outside of Dawnstar, luckily the caravan of Khajiit and a heavily armored orc had come to her aid.

"That's not the last of them." The orc said as he approached her,

"What do you mean?" Selyna asked as she studied the orc, he was fairly young but he was built strong and tall, standing almost two heads taller than herself.

The orc's armor was a specialty, one she hadn't seen before.

"More are coming." The orc told her, she had to agree with him because this was not the first time she had encountered vampires wearing such fine garb since she killed Movarth and his growing family in his lair north of Morthal.

"Are you some sort of...vampire hunter?" Selyna looked to the bodies then the orc for an answer.

"Yes. I am a vampire hunter with the Dawnguard." Surprised at his admission, Selyna arched a brow at the orc,

"Dawnguard? Care to explain?" The orc smirked at her question.

"I am Durak. Of the ancient order of the Dawnguard. We are a group of vampire hunters bent on ridding Skyrim of vampires." Selyna listened to Durak speak, his voice filling with pride as he spoke of the Dawnguard further.

By the end of the conversation Selyna knew where to find the Dawnguard fortress and decided the she would help this cause when she had the time. For now, her life was quite busy when it came to quests and she had no time to dedicate to the Dawnguard as of yet so she had no choice but to wait. The rest of her trip to Solitude went without any more serious interruptions and she made her way to the Winking Skeever. Even as early as it was the place was full of drunkards drinking their coin away. Drinking hard was something she found she never had the stomach for, it took away the control she had of her body and mind. Scanning the crowd for a few moments, she saw a person who fit the description that Delphine had given her of the contact. Ordering a flagon of wine, she slowly began to walk over towards her target. He sat below a mounted head of a bear, it wouldn't look suspicious since they were both mer,

"Hello friend." Selyna sat down across from the dark eyed wood elf.

"Hello, need something?" Malborn eyed her suspiciously as he picked up his tankard of ale with a wary smile.

"Our mutual friend sent me." Malborn's eyebrow shot up,

"You're who she picked? Well, you will surely fit in at the party. Now, the Thalmor are strict, give me the things you cannot live without and I will smuggle them in. Anything else but stay behind." Malborn told her as he moved his hand forward and grabbed hers with a soft smile.

Selyna smiled back at him and held his hand, to everyone else they would look like a pair of elves in love. If there was one thing she learned since coming to Skyrim was pretending, you had to be someone else at any given time to get what you needed and she had learned well.

"I will rent a room, follow me upstairs." Selyna moved from her seat and went to the barkeep,

"I would like to rent a room. Here's fifty gold for me and my friend." Selyna smiled shyly as she looked back at Malborn.

"Alright." The barkeep took her money and told her where to find her room, she thanked the barkeep and went back over to Malborn.

Taking his hand, she led him to the room and they locked the door behind them. Giving him everything she would need, her pack was lighter and she stood before him in her undergarments. Malborn blushed,

"Do not worry, I always carry extra clothing with me." Pulling out a very lovely folded dress out of her pack with a pair of boots.

Dressing quickly, she ruffled the sheets like they had used it, licked her hand and rubbed it on the sheet. Selyna turned to Malborn with a blush, she began to moan and hit her fist against the bed post softly and she motioned for him to help her. Grunting lightly, he helped her shake the bed a little and when she increased her moaning, he increased his grunting until she let out a light scream and he groaned loudly. Grabbing his head, she ruffled his hair and clothes a little and he helped her do the same. Putting her pack on her shoulders they came out of the room blushing and holding hands with a few patrons looking at them. Once outside, they let go of each others hands.

"I must go to the stables. It was nice meeting you Malborn." Selyna waved goodbye to Malborn and he did the same to her.

Selyna took her time in leaving Solitude and when she was outside of the city walls, she made her way to the stable and saw a boy cleaning out the stalls that were unoccupied but Delphine grabbed her attention as she came from behind the windmill.

"Are you ready?" Delphine was dressed like she was going to take on an army,

"Are you coming too?" Selyna asked naturally since the woman seemed to have a grudge against the Thalmor because of the mass extermination of the Blades.

"Yes, Malborn is all set." Selyna followed Delphine over to the stalls where two horses stood, eating hay happily.

"Okay, I'll hold your things. You have to dress the part and be armed to the teeth." Delphine handed her clothes that she had to change into.

Going into the windmill, Selyna changed quickly then came back out to Delphine smoothing the clothes down.

"Are you ready to get on the carriage going to the Embassy?" Delphine let a little of her nervousness show,

"I have to be." Selyna nodded and climbed up into the nearby carriage with a solemn look on her face and the journey to the Thalmor Embassy began.


	4. Finding What Has Been Hidden

**La la la, lemme just stroll on in and post this right here...**

Looking to Malborn as she gave Razelan her drink, he gave the barest hint of a nod to her. Razelan said he would do anything and a distraction would be perfect for her to make a mad dash for the information she had to find.

"There's something you can go Razelan." Selyna smiled seductively at him,

"Anything for my one, true friend!" He gulped down the drink hastily.

"I need you to make a scene, maybe get everyone's attention for a few minutes?" Batting her eyes at him he nodded to her.

"Of course! Anything for my one, true friend! You could say that making a scene is my specialty." Razelan said as he slowly rose to his wobbly feet and stumbled over to the middle of the room and began to speak.

Selyna was quick to act as soon as everyone's attention was on Razelan, going behind the bar Malborn ushered her in through the small hallway then through the kitchen where there was a room with a chest and barrels on wine inside. The Khajiit woman didn't seem to care what they were doing at all as she prepared the food. Selyna opened the chest and pulled her gear out, changing with Malborn's help. Sneaking through the next door, she stopped behind an open door and listened to the conversation the Thalmor soldiers were having about dragons and the Thalmor wizards. Once they began their rounds was when she moved, quick as a fox and silent as a whisper past the guards, taking them out silently one by one. If there was a chance that she wouldn't have been seen then she wouldn't have killed the guards but she needed the information and they stood in her way. The burden of the people she had killed over the years made her pause sometimes but it was her duty and she only ever killed when she had no other choice. Kill or be killed. Elenwen's solar was the hardest part of the mission but Selyna had felt that saving Malborn and Etienne had been well worth it. Delphine's distrust, however, was where she drew the line.

"I was so sure that the Thalmor were behind it." Delphine seemed lost in thought,

"How could you think they were behind it? Do you not pay attention to anything at all?" Moving over to the table with the map of Skyrim marked with the dragon burial mounds on it.

"The Thalmor aren't doing a damn thing but taking prisoners and spreading their filthy lies." Selyna shook her head at Delphine, the woman had to be dense.

"The journals spoke of Esbern hiding somewhere in Riften, who is Esbern?" Selyna had to change the subject before she stormed off on the woman.

"Esbern? That old man is still alive and the Thalmor are hunting him? Esbern was a Blade, he knows more about dragonlore than anyone alive. We have to get to him before the Thalmor do. If he's in Riften then I think he would be in the Ratway, find Brynjolf, he'll help you." Selyna groaned inwardly, Brynjolf was the one man she had sought to avoid when she was in Riften, the man flirted far too much with her. Not that she thought him an ugly man, he was quite handsome but every time she thought about another man it seemed as if Farkas kept appearing in her mind. Farkas was a jealous man, not that he had ever hurt her in his jealousy, she was sure he would hunt another man down. It worried her, almost all of her kin were men and when she went back to Solsthiem...would he follow her?

"I'll go to Riften and find Esbern." Selyna didn't give the woman time to say anything else because she climbed the stairs out of the secret room in the Sleeping Giant Inn and left.

Selyna sent a missive to Jorrvaskr to receive any news, a part of her didn't want to make the time to go back Whiterun. The source of her problem was Farkas, what was she to do? Now that she was becoming more aware of his growing presence, his stalking, it seemed as if she was in a fight or flight situation. Selyna felt as if she was closed in a small room with a locked door, trying to kick down the door only worked but so much and so she needed to find another way out with no window to help her. Her red eyes scanned each person discreetly as she pushed the doors open to Riften and made a slow entrance, no one seemed to notice her but hidden eyes were everywhere in Riften. Moving into the market, she saw the man she was looking for and walked towards him but couldn't shrug off the feeling of being watched. Was it paranoia or was someone watching her?

"Ah, lass. It has been awhile." Brynjolf gave her a charming smile, ever the flirtatious man that he was, Brynjolf loved putting on a charming smile for the beautiful dunmer lass in front of him.

"Hello Brynjolf." Selyna smiled but felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, turning just a little, she looked around and saw nothing but the normal Riften residents.

"Is there something wrong lass?" Brynjolf whispered sofly,

"I think I'm being followed."

Brynjolf was more than happy to accommodate Selyna and moved to the Ragged Flagon, he could see the lass was spooked and wanted whatever she had to say to be privacy of the bar.

"I'm looking for...an older man, I was told he may be hiding out in the Ratway." Selyna nodded her head to Brynjolf as he brought her over a flagon of ale.

"Thank you."

"I know your guy, he's hiding in the Ratway Warrens. He paid good coin to make sure no one knows he lives there...Why do you ask?" Brynjolf sat down with his own Flagon across from her and studied her.

"It is a matter of life and death for this country." Selyna set her flagon down and leaned back on her chair, there was more on her mind than that and Brynjolf could tell.

"That it lass?" He leaned on the table, flagon in one hand while the other lay on the table.

"I need a favor Brynjolf, you cannot do it but others can. I will pay for it to be done but I need it done as soon as you can." Pulling her coin purse out, she counted out five stacks of gold, each with ten gold per stack.

"What can I do for you lass?" Brynjolf took a swig of his flagon then set it down, seeing as Selyna became serious.

"I need lookouts. If I'm being followed I need to know by who, the why isn't needed."

"If it is the Dark Brotherhood, I can not help you lass." Brynjolf rubbed his red beard with his hand and watched her reaction.

"It is not. I have a feeling I know who it is but I need to know. Please, just do this for me Bryn, please." Selyna begged and he gave in, pretty faces were his weakness.

"Alright lass, alright. I'll have a few lookouts see if you are being followed. You get to the Ratway Warrens and we'll talk later." Brynjolf stood up with his flagon in hand and moved tot he bar.

Selyna downed her drink and grabbed her pack, hopefully Esbern was in a talkative mood.

Surprise wasn't something that came easy to her but when she found a lone door in the Ratway Warrens, Selyna could not have believed her luck. Though the way to the Warrens wasn't easy, she was ambushed by Thalmor and their blood now stained her blade but the odd door she stood before had her puzzled. It was a very sturdy door with a slit so that whomever lived inside could see who came knocking. Selyna knocked then waited, the slit slid open and an old man stood there looking at her.

"Go away!" He yelled at her,

"Esbern? Wait! I'm a friend, open the door." Selyna tried softly to the old man,

"What? No, that's not me! I'm not Esbern." The old man shook his head and sneered at her.

"Esbern, It's alright. Delphine sent me to find you."

"Delphine? How do you...? You finally found her and she led to me..."

"We need your help to stop the dragons Esbern." Selyna tried to persuade the old man but he seemed lost in memories for quite some time.

"Delphine kept up the fight all these years. Hold on, this'll just take a moment." Esbern closed the slit and began to unlock the door, Selyna stared at the door incredulously as he urged her to wait as he began to unlock several locks.

Once the locks were all open, he threw open the door, pulled her in then closed the door once more, locking the mechanisms as Selyna regained her footing and turned to the old man and saw chains on the back of the door.

"By Azura, are you trying to stop a dragon from coming in the Ratway?" Shaking her head Esbern smiled warily,

"Now we talk."

"Yes." Selyna agreed hurriedly.

"So, Delphine keeps up the fight after all these years?" His voice was soft, the man must have held a place in his heart for the woman.

"I thought she would have seen that it was hopeless years ago, I tried to tell her...I tried to tell her." Esbern shook his head and sighed.

"What do you mean 'it's hopeless'? It can't be hopeless!"

Esbern went on a rant about a prophecy and Alduin, then he lamented the lost Blades and how he had tried to tell them how hopeless it was to try and stop what was bound to happen.

"Wait, wait. Esbern, we are talking about the same Alduin who is resurrecting the other dragons?" She interrupted,

"Yes, yes you know! But you refuse to understand!" Selyna looked at Esbern as if he had a crazed mind.

"Understand what? Alduin has something to do with the end of the world? The literal end of the world?" Selyna shook her head, how could one dragon cause the end of the world?

Destroying Skyrim, yes, but the end of the world? She could not believe that.

"Oh yes, it's all been foretold. Then end has begun and Alduin has returned. Only the Dragonborn could stop him but there hasn't been a Dragonborn in centuries..." Selyna looked up in excitement and grabbed the old man in the middle of his speech,

"Wait! Esbern, I am the Dragonborn!"

"What? You? The Dragonborn? Then there is hope! The Gods haven't abandoned us! We must go...Let me gather a few things and we will leave." Esbern happily ran over to his bed and began to pack his things, debating on what to bring with him as he moved from his sleeping area to the counter where he kept his dishes.

Once his pack was full to bursting, he turned to her and nodded.

"Let us go now." Opening the door, Selyna pushed him behind her and listened.

"There they are! Get them!" Selyna drew her blade and Esbern readied his magic.

Selyna charged as several Thalmor came up the stairs to the walkway that led to Esbern's home. Wuuthrad sunk into the chest of a robed Thalmor as Lightning crackled behind her then struck an armored Thalmor who was coming up the stairs. Pulling her blade free, she whipped her weapon to the side and a sickening crack was heard as Wuuthrad collided with another robed Thalmor's head, splitting it open as steel bite into flesh and bone. Esbern struck the same armored Thalmor with lightning once more and Selyna jumped down, Wuuthrad smashed down onto the Thalmor agent, cutting from the top of his skull to his shoulders in half. Retching Wuuthrad free of the body, Selyna turned and looked at Esbern.

"We have to go, now!" She urged the old man and he followed after her as quickly as he could.

Thankfully, they weaved through the Ratways and only fought two more Thalmor but they were covered in blood when they emerged in the Ragged Flagon. Brynjolf spit out his ale when he saw the pair,

"Lass! What in Divines name happened?" Selyna looked at Brynjolf and she sighed.

"Thalmor. Somehow they found a way around the Ragged Flagon and into the Warrens, we just had to fight our way out." Selyna wiped her hand on her face, getting some of the blood of of her face.

"Lass, here, lemme get you a cloth." Brynjolf ducked behind the bar and grabbed her a linen cloth, she wiped the blood from her face and tried to get some of it off of her armor.

"Thank you Bryn, I appreciate it." She handed the cloth back to Brnyjolf and she looked back at Esbern,

"Alright, Esbern. Let's continue." Waving goodbye to Brynjolf, Selyna led Esbern out of the Ragged Flagon and up into the night.

Riften was quiet and so they too, had to be just silent as the town now was. Selyna bade Esbern to wash of the blood from his hands and face as quickly as he could. Once Esbern was finished the pair crept up a flight of stairs then walked their way out of the town, when the doors to Riften closed behind them both uttered a sigh of relief and praise to the Divines.

"And now we make our way to Riverwood, let us take a carriage there." Selyna motioned for Esbern to follow her and he did so, she paid the nearby carriage driver 20 gold for the both of them.

Selyna climbed up into the back of the carriage and helped Esbern up so that he could sit beside her. Once they were both in the carriage, Esbern sighed and leaned forward, his hands clasped together in front of him.

"We have much to do and very little time." Esbern ran a hand over his face then sat up and looked over to Selyna who was leaning back against the carriage wall.

"Do not wallow in doubt Esbern, we have an abundance of time where Alduin does not." Selyna sat up straight and looked to her companion.

"His time is running out and he knows this, one move that is wrong and we have him within our grasp. Also, we have you to help, there has to be someway to defeat Alduin and only a Blades Loremaster could find the way." Selyna smiled at Esbern who seemed to be pleased by her comment but he was wary as well.

"I can only hope that there is a way."


End file.
